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Charlie Dalin: "I feel like I'm stronger this time"

THE SKIPPERS SAID (1/40). First to cross the finish line, second in the final ranking four years ago, Charlie Dalin, the skipper of Macif Santé Prévoyance is back for a second Vendée Globe challenge even more motivated than ever.

LORIENT, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 12, 2024 : MACIF Santé Prévoyance skipper Charlie Dalin (FRA) is pictured training on September 12, 2024 off Lorient, France - Photo by Guillaume Gatefait-Disobey-Macif
LORIENT, FRANCE - 12 SEPTEMBRE 2024 : Le skipper de MACIF Santé Prévoyance Charlie Dalin (FRA) s'entraîne le 12 septembre 2024 au large de Lorient, France - Photo Guillaume Gatefait-Disobey-Macif
© Guillaume Gatefait-Disobey-Macif

With a new boat which he has already proven to be competitive and a preparation during which there has been no stone left unturned, the skipper who qualified as a naval architect in Southampton and is from Le Havre originally, believes he and his programme are stronger than ever. He exudes the confidence of someone who knows he has achieved more than enough to be considered among the favourites to win…

Charlie Dalin has not forgotten anything. He remembers every detail the night of January 27, 2021, when he crossed the Vendée Globe line in the lead before giving up first place to Yannick Bestaven. As a racer, skipper and he showed humility and respect when he was usurped by Bestaven. If there was frustration, maybe annoyance he kept it buttoned up, restricting any negative thoughts to himself in the weeks that followed. But pretty much since then his is a story of domination, prestigious victories (Vendée Arctique, 2022, Rolex Fastnet Race 2023, New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne 2024) armed with a new boat that quickly impressed. But recall that he was injured during The Ocean Race and was ill at the end of 2023 missing races. But there is no doubt at all that Charlie Dalin has improved in every single front since 2021, including mentally. 

Vendée Globe :

What is your frame of mind as you approach this second Vendée Globe?

Charlie Dalin
Charlie Dalin
MACIF Santé Prévoyance

What is different compared to the previous one is that I have already participated in the race, I know what to expect and what the difficulties can be like. I have been waiting for this Vendée Globe for a long time, really since January 28, 2021, the day after my finish. With the whole team, we have been working for a long time now. I am happy knowing the start is just round the corner.

Vendée Globe :

How has your first participation and that unreal, unprecedented scenario changed you?

Before the last race I had never spent more than 20 days on a boat and I had never sailed in the Southern Ocean. It was all a discovery even if I had asked Armel Le Cléac'h, Michel Desjoyeaux, Francois Gabart for advice, any experience was second hand. What surprised me the most was the impact on the mental level, the fatigue, the fact of being so much more easily on edge. But it is useful to know this and to integrate the importance of personal management and rhythm. It is as if I had only done a 10 km race and suddenly I was participating in a marathon. Obviously, we have a better idea of what awaits us when it comes to this second race.

Vendée Globe :

You had an incredible reaction at the finish, completely putting aside your sporting frustration and seemingly happy to put yourself alongside to Yannick Bestaven. Was it hard to live with all that happened in the weeks and months that followed?

I still believe what I said at the finish. First there was the euphoria of finding my son, my wife, my team in Les Sables d'Olonne. It's no small feat to complete the Vendée Globe, it's incredible. When everything fell into place as it did, of course it wasn't easy. I didn't come so very close to victory, I was still missing 2 hours and 30 minutes so obviously. I did wake up at night thinking of these minutes that I missed in this sail change, this maneuver, this choice I had made. My story with the Vendée Globe is not over, it was so important to come back.

Vendée Globe :

You launched a new boat, won two major races (Rolex Fastnet Race in 2023, New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne in 2024). Do you feel like you’ve made a lot of progress over these four years?

Yes, of course. During the last edition, because of Covid-19, we only had the Vendée-Arctique. In fact the Vendée Globe was only my second solo race in an IMOCA! Since then, I’ve been able to take part in a lot of races, which has allowed me to progress in many aspects. But unfortunately for me and fortunately for the outside world, I’m not the only one to have progressed!

Vendée Globe :

How is your current boat more efficient than the previous one?

Apivia was a very good boat but it had a few weak points, particularly when sailing downwind, in rough seas and also in terms of ergonomics. With Macif Santé Prévoyance, we’ve progressed in all conditions. My cockpit is also much more compact, which allows me to do many tasks without moving. The ergonomics have been improved, the ventilation system inside too, there is much less water on the deck. And in terms of comfort, I have a custom-made seat with shock absorber and safety belt which is a change from the beanbag I had four years ago.

Vendée Globe :

The technical progress and the time you all have had to make the boats reliable, does that mean that the 74-day record (held by Armel Le Cléac'h) has a good chance of being beaten?

It will really depend on the weather we encounter. The aim of the game is mainly to finish before the others. But the latest generation boats are capable of getting around in 70 days and maybe less if conditions allow.

Vendée Globe :

Not everything was easy in your preparation, you were injured on The Ocean Race, sick last winter… What impact did that have on your approach to the competition?

Following the bump to me head in The Ocean Race, I will wear a hard helmet (and no longer a rugby helmet) and the fact that I have reduced the size of the cockpit limits the distance if I fall. Regarding last winter, it was complicated because I was not qualified before The Transat CIC at the start of the season. The fact of having got to the finish (4th) freed me up for the New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne (1st). I think we have made up for it in terms of reliability. The team worked hard, especially last winter and summer, and it paid off.

Vendée Globe :

This year during the two transatlantic races it seemed like that you were enjoying yourself more.

Having been deprived of racing at the end of the season increased my desire to get back on the boat, the competition, my team, my competitors. I wanted to make the most of it and have a lot of fun on the water, probably even more so than before. And it's in this frame of mind that I'm thinking about this Vendée Globe.

Vendée Globe :

You also managed to take a break between the two transatlantic races and then this summer... Does that help you keep your mind fresh for your round the world trip?

Yes, absolutely. This summer, I went away for 18 days, especially to Greece, and I've never been away for so long in my professional life! I was able to fully recover: it’s as if I had the impression of starting a new season, without the fatigue of the two transatlantic races in the middle of the year. I feel that I am fresher, that I have recovered well and that I am really ready for the Vendée Globe.

Vendée Globe :

Does this mean that Charlie Dalin is stronger than he was four years ago?

Yes, I have that impression. But I’m not the only one! On the other hand, it’s true that I feel more ready, I feel ready to give it my all!”

Rencontre avec Charlie Dalin, MACIF Santé Prévoyance | Vendée Globe 2024

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